Kraak
Dots & Loops 7th Birthday Special with Sonic Boom / Plank! & more
Celebrate 7 years of Dots & Loops at Kraak tonight with a night filled with live music and DJ sets. Top of the bill Sonic Boom (Spacemen 3/Spectrum) will put on a 2 hour DJ set having honed his skills most recently while touring with Kurt Vile and My Bloody Valentine. Live music will come from Plank! bringing new material to this their only upcoming Manchester date and their first in a while. Some lovely visuals will accompany their set which is preceded by turns from Weird Era and Mind Mountain.
This is going to be a special night and the birthday celebrations are going to be extremely popular so make sure you buy your tickets early as there is no guarantee there will be any left on the door. You have been warned!
8.30pm – 4am / £6 adv / £8 otd / BUY TICKETS
Kraak / 11 Stevenson Square / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M1 1DB
Soup Kitchen
Fantastic Mr Fox
Continuing their run of outstanding events through the Summer Soup Kitchen bring Fantastic Mr Fox to the Basement. Based in Berlin but originally from Wolverhampton, Fantastic Mr Fox has been producing since the age of 14, gradually taking elements from a variety of genres and adding them to his sound. Following releases for Hemlock Recordings and Black Acre, Fantastic Mr Fox supported The XX on tour where he performed DJ sets in-between the Mercury prize winners, Warpaint and Zola Jesus. His music has gained support from artists and DJs such as Untold, Jamie XX, Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, Martyn, Steve Lamacq, Mistajam, Daedelus, 2562, The XX, Bjork and James Blake. Following his ‘Evelyn EP‘ in 2010 his long awaited ‘San’en EP‘ on Black Acre was released on the 4th June, featuring Alby Daniels. Ranging from melancholic house (Pascal’s Chorus) with the bittersweet soul of Alby Daniels to the grime inflected riddim selection (Speak Nuh) through to the woozy drag house groove (San’en) he delivers something worth waiting for before soothing you with ‘Yesterday’s Fall‘.
Basement ~ 11pm – 4am / £5 / BUY TICKETS
Soup Kitchen / 31-33 Spear Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M1 1DF
The Castle Hotel
Glastonbury Big Screen Live Stream
If you are reading this the chances are that you didn’t get Glastonbury tickets this year, either by choice or because you didn’t make it through the ballot. If it’s the latter be consoled by surrounding yourself with like minded people in The Castle Hotel and enjoy the festival on their big screen which will be showing coverage all day today, Saturday and Sunday. Shorter queues, cleaner toilets, cheaper & better ale, less likelihood of getting covered in piss and more chance of seeing more of the bands you like. Yeah, ok, it’s not the same!
All Day / FREE
The Castle Hotel / 66 Oldham Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M4 1LE
Dry Live
The Big Indie Showcase #15 with The Madding Crowd / Suzie Does It & more
Back for their showcase of new music New Revolution presents the fifteenth outing of The Big Indie Showcase with another jam-packed line up of local musical talent. Top of the bill are The Madding Crowd who are supported by Suzie Does It, Nude, The Outreach Project and Edits. Expect plenty of bang for your buck.
6.30pm – 10.30pm / £5 / BUY TICKETS
Dry + Dry Live / 28- 30 Oldham Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M1 1JN
Mint Lounge
Top Of The Pops ’13 with Loz Newy (Poptastic) / Christopher Dresden Styles (Pop Curious?)
Started on the 11th of January, there is a new look to Friday nights at Mint Lounge right here in the heart of the Northern Quarter on Oldham Street with the start of Top Of The Pops.
Following in the footsteps of Pop ‘Til You Drop, Top Of The Pops will be keeping with the tradition of providing a fantastic selection of music to kick start your weekend with their resident DJs play an “explosive extravaganza” of dance floor gems, long lasting classics & party starters “guaranteed to make you dance yourself ditzy”! Top Of The Pops
“From Beyonce to Blondie, to The Killers & Jackson’s Thriller with healthy measures of guilty pleasures…we love the nightlife!”
10.30pm – 3.30am / £2 / BUY TICKETS
Mint Lounge / 46-50 Oldham Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M4 1LE
The Ruby Lounge
Sundown Nights presents / The Bluebottle Veins / Skeleton Suite / The Joint / Cleargreen Cult
A fantastic line up at The Ruby Lounge tonight as Sundown Nights bring a showcase of local talent to play the famous stage. Headlined by The Bluebottle Veins support comes from Skeleton Suite, Cleargreen Cult and the recent addition to the bill The Joint. With DJs Sabretoof & The Karate Suit taking the night on into the early hours this is a bargain waiting to be snapped up.
7.30pm / £6
Ruby Lounge / 28-34 High Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M4 1QB
Band On The Wall
Bilal / Pieces of a Man
The American soul/jazz fusion star and vocal sensation Bilal is live in Manchester for what promises to be one of the hit nights of the summer. Very special support tonight comes from Manchester neo-soul band Pieces of a Man whose heavy groove and and expansive vocals is getting them fans wherever they play.
Considered one of the great voices of soul fusion, Bilal released his debut album ‘1st Born Second‘ in 2001, which boasted the popular single ‘Soul Sista‘. The follow-up, ’Love for Sale‘ (2006), was shelved but leaked entirely online and has since become an underground classic. In the following years, Bilal has collaborated and performed with some of the industry’s most prominent artists including Beyonce, Common, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Boney James, Musiq and The Roots among others. He also covered Radiohead’s ‘High & Dry‘ for the 2006 Radiohead tribute, ‘Exit Music: Songs With Radio Heads‘.
7.30pm / £15 adv
Band On The Wall / 25 Swan Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester
Night & Day
The Big Slice presents Rum Thief / Faitala / Ortopilot / Stewart Bray
The Big Slice are busy in the Northern Quarter this weekend as they are here at Night & Day tonight and then over at Black Dog Ballroom on sunday for a free charity show, A Slice of Nice. Back to tonight though; The Big Slice are bringing you music that they love and they’d like you to hear. They champion quality local music and bring genuine musical talent to the Night & Day stage. Tonight they have a full line up of live music from Rum Thief, Faitala, Ortopilot, Stewart Bray (roaming acoustic) and don’t forget Motor City Disco after the bands. Perhaps most importantly the night is all served up with a free slice of cake!
7.30pm – 2am / £5
Night & Day Cafe / 26 Oldham Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M1 1JN
Matt & Phreds
Alligator Gumbo Big Band
Alligator Gumbo are an exciting 7 piece, Leeds based swing band featuring the authentic line up of clarinet, violin, trumpet, trombone, accordion, steel guitar, double bass, and washboard. They play New Orleans swing/jazz from the 1920′s era with songs made popular by the likes of Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Ella Fitzgerald, performed in the traditional style of upbeat tempos, entertaining improvisations, foot-stomping swinging rhythms, and rowdy group singing.
9.30pm – 1am / £5
Matt & Phreds / 64 Tib Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M4 1LW
Dry Bar / Dry Live
12:51 at Dry Bar
DJ Wrighty hosts a night dedicated to the best indie and alternative music from legends of the past to the newest bands defining the sounds of the present, dipping into retro and club classics, 80′s electronica and 90′s Britpop.
9pm – 4am / FREE
Dry Bar / 28- 30 Oldham Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M1 1JN
2022NQ
After Work Social
There’s something new for Friday night at 2022NQ as they introduce us to the After Work Social, a get together for makers and creators, a place where you can eat, drink, mingle & play with like minded people. Enjoy the selection of draught, craft and Belgium beers alongside a fine selection of wines, spirits and their very own Urban Picnic. They also have free ping pong, a place to hang your art and they will even let you choose the music!!
4pm – late / FREE
2022NQ / 20-22 Dale Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M1 1EZ
Bay Horse Pub
Free Gig Friday
The Bay Horse Pub have decided that putting on a free gig every second Friday of every month just wasn’t enough and therefore EVERY FRIDAY should be known as “Free Gig Friday” from now on, and frankly that sounds like a fantastic idea to me. Free live music on a Friday night, unheard of! Tonight’s FGF is curated by Lovechild who are also playing live with support from Warn The People and some special guests and Lovechild will provide a curated playlist to see us all through the night. The show starts at 9pm and did we mention that it is FREE.
8pm-1am / FREE
The Bay Horse Pub / 35-37 Thomas Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M4 1NA
Black Dog Ballroom
WhoSaidWhat?
Resident DJ Stuart Richards hosts WhoSaidWhat? every Friday at Black Dog NQ between 10pm and 4am. WhoSaidWhat? offers a night packed full of disco, funk and house with a few breaks along the way and even some hip hop and reggae to mix the night up a little.
9pm-4am / FREE before 11pm
Black Dog Ballroom / Corner Tib & Church Street/ Northern Quarter / Manchester, M4 1PW
Soup Kitchen
Be My Guest with Simon Tonkinson
Simon Tonkinson curates another two-floor musical marathon of beats to delight discerning music lovers and please the finest shape-shifters. In the Kitchen Simon and residents Annabel Fraser, Matt Ward, Jason Boardman & Levi Love (on monthly rotations) welcome a weekly guest whilst the Basement is handed over to various promotions. All kicking off from 8pm with Simon in the Kitchen.
Kitchen ~ 8pm – 1am / FREE
Soup Kitchen / 31-33 Spear Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M1 1DF
Common
Well Future with Rug Dug
Common have something new for us on a Friday night, Well Future. With a stronger emphasis on the music you hear, they bring us a whole host of harmonious guests. Musical confidants, past, present and future. For a bit more info head over here. Tonight taking to the decks is Ruf Dug.
9pm-2am / FREE before 10pm / £2 after
Common/ 39-41 Edge Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M4 1HW
Odd Bar
Patrick Ryder (Piccadilly Records)
Mr. Ryder mixes it up live in the cut at Odd Bar tonight with an all wax selection of get down disco, get up house, and raw funk power.
8pm – late / FREE
Odd Bar / 30-32 Thomas Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M4 1ER
Trof
Melting Pot
Trof drops us into the Melting Pot for an evening of elevating sounds with smooth soul, disco, hip hop, rock ‘n’ roll, reggae and old skool just some of the genres getting in the mix. A lively set of ingredients for an even livelier night.
9pm – 3am / FREE
Trof / 8 Thomas Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M4 1EU
The Frog & Bucket
Barrel Of Laughs
MC Danny McLoughlin presents Nick Page, Scott Agnew & Markus Birdman for The Frog and Bucket‘s flagship Friday night show, Barrel of Laughs. The show goes on until 2am with one of the Frog’s resident DJ’s.
7pm / £16 / £8 Concessions
The Frog & Bucket / 102 Oldham Street / Northern Quarter / Manchester / M4 1LJ